To Win
by Heir Guardian
Summary: The two side stories during 'Willing to Sacrifice.'
1. To Win

To Win  
  
Me: Takes place during 'Willing to Sacrifice' and is all B-chan's fault.  
  
  
  
The dragon had been resting a long time now. He was in a spot many cards fought to achieve. He was the favorite of his duelist, honored among all else in his deck. But in this deck, that didn't mean much.  
  
Usually the favorite formed a bond that they could communicate through and learn each other, but the cries of this card fell on deaf ears and had for more time than most other cards would allow.  
  
Many cards did come to him and pleaded with him to abandon deck, find a way to belong to someone else. But he wouldn't. He knew there was a day when he would have that bond; that it would be worth it, if he just waited. He knew there were three others like him. One belonged to someone else who cherished him and the other two were here in this deck. But they slept, as he was head of the deck. Only when the three merged did the other two communicate at all and they were happy with this arrangement.  
  
But being the most powerful dragon was lonely and Blue-Eyes, hoped that his day was coming soon.  
  
It came sooner than he thought it would and it came in the form of a young lady.  
  
So closely connected to his dueler's heart, he felt the shields go down, one by one, until he could finally get in. But he didn't share his progress with anyone yet, no, he was going to wait until the bond was firmly in place.  
  
//Pretty, isn't she?//  
  
He could've laughed at the shock that ran through Seto's body, but he didn't. He continued to talk.  
  
//She's innocent and sweet and has been through almost as much as you have. So why did she turn out better?//  
  
/Who are you?/  
  
//Look down at your hand.//  
  
Seto had been teaching the young lady to duel and his card had come up. He watched through Seto's eyes as they came to rest on his picture.  
  
/You can't be! It's not possible./  
  
//Says who.//  
  
He felt Seto go quiet for a moment and then he got a response that made him smile.  
  
/Can we talk later, I-I want Serenity to have my full attention./  
  
Blue-Eyes bowed out and continued to watch. He was content to wait if that was the reason. Unfortunately, Life was filled with unseen twists and their talk would have to wait some time longer. He was watching through Seto's eyes as the blond fell over and felt the panic all around. He saw as Seto realized what was happening to Serenity.  
  
He watched as he comforted her and drove her and her friends to the hospital. Then he waited with them as the doctors took the blond away. Serenity was getting worse and she could barely see. Seto's world focused to her alone and with him went Blue-Eyes.  
  
'If only the cards could see him now. They would know why I waited.'  
  
Serenity was in a state of slight shock and wasn't truly aware of what was going on around her, but Seto held her close, not telling the others about her situation as she had requested. He held onto her and soothed her with touch and sound. If he could, Blue-Eyes felt that Seto would make it so that she never needed her eyes.  
  
As Seto's strength went out into Serenity, Blue-Eyes gave his strength to his dueler through the bond that he forced open. He didn't try and talk to Seto, he let him concentrate on the one before him.  
  
He became part of Seto for a while.  
  
"Serenity, I'm here. You can just rest, if anything happens all help." He rocked the stunned girl in her arms as her sight was slipping away from her. He didn't notice anything else around him, no one coming in, other patients, nothing.  
  
So he was glad when something seemed to hit him when the doctor came in. He carefully brought Serenity over and they all listened to the extent that Joey had suffered in silence. Seto felt an overwhelming guilt for adding to the burden the blond had carried.  
  
//It's not your fault and you have a chance to help.//  
  
He didn't question his sanity this time. He knew who was talking and he accepted the strength and comfort the other offered. He knew he could help and he wanted to. Not just out of guilt, but something else.  
  
As he looked down at Serenity he made his offer.  
  
"I can only pay for one surgery, but I will."  
  
The doctor looked startled for a moment.  
  
"What do you mean by one surgery?"  
  
"His sister is going blind again."  
  
They all looked at Serenity and he felt her move closer. She hugged her tight as the doctor came over and examined her. He sighed.  
  
"Young Lady, I'll tell you this now, if you don't have the surgery now, in a few hours you will be completely blind."  
  
"I'll sacrifice my eyesight if it means I know, in my heart, that my brother is alive."  
  
Seto knew the truth behind those words. It is what he would have done if it were Mokuba's life on the line. He watched the doctor nod and turned back into the doors. A small whisper caused him to look down again.  
  
"Thank you Seto."  
  
"I wish I could have saved you both."  
  
The tears he had tried to hold back came and they fell. He held her close as her brother went into Surgery. He didn't let go of her and soon her eyesight was gone and she could no longer see. So, to pass the time, he started describing everything around them to her. Every detail and expression, the colors and shades, anything to try and give her back something of this time that she was missing.  
  
He felt her smile against him and knew that it was helping and appreciated. And when it became too much for him, he turned to the one inside. The strength he had all along and felt the support and a quiet joy that in this tragedy something good had happened.  
  
Yugi came over to them once, but with his eyes he asked Seto to stay quiet about it. So he did. He just watched as Yugi looked them over, his face was the one he dueled with, the strength and calm. He held in his hand three cards. One he placed in Seto's pocket, the other in Serenity's hand. She closed it in reflex and Yugi nodded and left.  
  
The strength that had been helping Seto increased and he knew which card was there. He also could see which card was in Serenity's hand. The Dark Elf. He looked after Yugi and shook his head, he was going to have to talk to his rival about this.  
  
Finally word came. The operation was successful and they could go see Joey.  
  
"Where's Serenity?"  
  
"Here."  
  
Joey turned and watched as he brought Serenity into the room. She wasn't really looking at the bed and when she raised her head, Seto could see that Joey knew why.  
  
"Serenity, what happened?"  
  
They explained what the doctor had told them and that Seto had paid for one operation, but couldn't afford the other. He reached over and took his sister's hand.  
  
"I always tried to be the one who saved you, and now you were the one whom sacrificed everything for me."  
  
Serenity smiled. Joey looked up at Seto and in that moment they knew everything was forgiven between the two of them. Joey mouthed his thanks as he hugged his sister.  
  
//See. Sometimes you have to lose, in order to win.//  
  
/I have a feeling you mean more than just this moment./  
  
//I could definitely think of a few times.//  
  
/So could I./  
  
Blue-Eyes watched as they everyone returned home and as Seto lay down to sleep he brought him into his realm and onto a beach. He watched for a moment as Seto looked around and then came to stand beside him. He chose to be about the same size as his dueler, so they could talk.  
  
"So, we can finally talk."  
  
Seto nodded and smiled.  
  
"I couldn't have done it without you. You had no reason to help me and yet you did."  
  
"I had every reason, just as you did. We both took care of the ones we love, speaking of which-"  
  
He pointed with a claw to a little ways down the beach, where Serenity stood, unseeing, out at the ocean. Seto sighed and walked over to her, careful to not intrude on her space. She needed to be left alone right now.  
  
While he was down there, Blue-Eyes received a brief visit from a certain Spellcaster. He smiled at the news and when Seto came back he turned the smile on him.  
  
"This may be a battle that everyone could win."  
  
He turned to walk off, but Seto stopped him.  
  
"Next time I don't listen, just hit me until I do."  
  
"I have a feeling you won't need me to help you."  
  
Seto woke the next morning when he heard Serenity laughing and crying. The others rushed over to her but Seto reached her first.  
  
"Serenity? What's wrong?"  
  
She looked over at him and her eyes were clear. She smiled.  
  
"I can see."  
  
It was silent for a moment and then they were all laughing and crying and carrying on. Seto placed an arm around her and held her close. It was then that Joey noticed.  
  
"Seto," he said in a quiet moment, "Take good care of my sister."  
  
Seto smirked at him, and nodded his chin at Mai who was standing close to Joey, but not quite touching."  
  
"I will. And you do the same for Mia and quit your whining around us."  
  
He watched him blush and turned back to Serenity.  
  
"I don't know how, but I'll forever be grateful."  
  
Serenity continued to smile at him and they no longer cared about miracles.  
  
Blue-Eyes watched as dark and D'el walked by. He had made it his job that whenever Dark was occupied, he would guard the elf. After all, it was in his best interest to take care of the one who meant so much to his dueler's heart.  
  
He smiled as Dark acknowledged him and then flew back to his deck and the place of honor that he would always treasure.  
  
Me: There will be one more side story for this from a point of view that needs to be heard, after that, a brand new plot line, or maybe a break- 


	2. Helpless

Helpless  
  
He felt the bond weaken and knew in that instant that everything he cared for was on the line. His Duelist was dying and he couldn't do anything at all. He was only a card and the trouble was in the mortal realm.  
  
It didn't stop it from hurting any less.  
  
A tear ran down the warrior's face and he let it. This was beyond his power and so he turned to try and calm the other cards in the deck. A part of his focus was always on the bond and what was happening.  
  
The cards wanted answers, especially the two Battleguards. One of them was new to the deck but had been gifted through another bond and felt the pain just as he did. He couldn't explain it though, it hurt too much to try and tell them that this could all be over any minute. That they would never be together and would never duel again.  
  
His eyes must have told them all they needed to know and they helped him go among the other cards. Baby Dragon latched on to him and would not let go. He didn't blame it. It was new and one often used by Joey. It was just a child and without the Time Wizard, it didn't understand the pain it could feel from their dueler.  
  
Speaking of the Time Wizard, he looked around for the unusual card and saw it at the border of the deck. It seemed to be talking to another card outside. He was furious. The card didn't even look upset about what was going on around it. He was about to grab for it when he saw the card it was talking to.  
  
The Dark Magician, Yami's favorite.  
  
Dark looked up at him and nodded his head in sympathy. The two seemed to be done their talk and Dark turned away. Somehow seeing the Magician had made him feel better. Something was going on, someone else had a hand in this and that hand held power.  
  
When the surgery began, Joey's pain had intensified. The bleeding the mortals had discovered inside him was killing his unconscious body with pain.  
  
"He won't live through this alone." He looked over to see Swamp Battleguard on his left.  
  
"We need to help him." His counterpart put in.  
  
He nodded and turned to the cards who could now fully feel the pain of their Duelist. Joey's deck held many warrior cards and not just because they were the type of cards he liked. No, Joey held loyalty and family above all else, whether that family be by blood or choice. These were attributes that warrior's prized and when you find them in one who can play the cards, than you bend the rules a bit and make yourself known.  
  
He looked at all the warriors and those who backed them and knew that the loyalty they felt towards Joey was returned by the young mortal. He knew that all he had to do was ask.  
  
"You feel the pain he's in." They nodded. "He needs our help if he is to survive this. He can't handle this pain alone."  
  
"Bring him here."  
  
He looked up into a pair of ruby eyes towering above him. The dragon was braced and ready, all of them were. He reached through the bond and found Joey. Even his soul was in pain, not just from the physical wounds but because of whom had caused them. The pain of betrayal hurt him from within, and matched the abuse from without. In this realm he picked up the child and brought him into the heart of the deck. The cards all had a hand on Red- Eyes and, still holding Joey, he allowed the dragon to curl around him, protecting them and feeding Joey the strength of his cards.  
  
All they could do from their was wait for the mortals to finish.  
  
The Shadow Realm held no time and so they didn't know how long they stayed there, locked in that position. Other cards and decks were curious as to why they joined power and came to stand outside the deck. He was afraid some of the more loathsome cards might try to take some of that power, but soon another deck stood around and guarded them from without. They could make out the forms of a knight, a magician and a warrior.  
  
There guard relaxed, they knew they could wait it out in safety and they did. When the mortals had finished they returned him to his body and turned to their own rest. It was over, for now and they were all safe.  
  
That night the warrior went into Joey's dream and sat beside him.  
  
"I know what you guys did for me."  
  
The warrior stayed silent.  
  
"Thank you for that. I don't know if I can ever repay you all for it, but I promise I'll never forget it."  
  
"That's all we ask."  
  
  
  
Me: Short and not that well done I know, but I think it gets the feelings across. I hope you guys like. 


End file.
